Press Releases: 2012

Today we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his life of service. In October, we witnessed the dedication of a new memorial on the National Mall in Washington honoring Dr. King and his work. His statue now looks out across the Tidal Basin in the direction of the memorial to the author who wrote the words into which Dr. King breathed new life: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'

“Austin has been a key asset in my leadership office since first joining our team as an intern in 2004,” said Hoyer. “Since then, he has served in a variety of roles and excelled in each one. As Floor Assistant and later Deputy Floor Director, Austin has helped manage the day-to-day operations of the Floor and has demonstrated a depth and breadth of knowledge of parliamentary procedure and the legislative process. Members have come to rely on Austin’s good judgment and leadership on the Floor and he is well known and well liked by all Members. Similarly, Shuwanza has served on my staff since joining as a staff assistant four years ago and has continually demonstrated her competence and capabilities across a range of responsibilities. As Floor Assistant, she excelled with a tremendous work ethic, focus and insightful knowledge of the House floor. I am confident that Austin and Shuwanza will continue to ensure an organized, responsive, and robust Democratic Whip Floor operation as the new session of Congress commences. Both Austin and Shuwanza will be a tremendous resource to the Democratic Caucus and I look forward to working with them in their new roles.”

Since joining the Administration as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Cecilia Muñoz has been an effective bridge-builder, helping strengthen ties between the White House, elected officials and community leaders across the country. She has demonstrated a commitment to strengthening our country through job creation, access to affordable health care and quality education, and comprehensive immigration reform. Her work on the National Council of La Raza before coming to the White House helped bring important voices into the national conversation on these and other issues. I congratulate her on her selection today as Director of the President’s Domestic Policy Council, where I am confident she will continue to serve as an untiring advocate for middle class families and all those striving to achieve the American Dream. I look forward to working with her as she moves into this new role.

I congratulate Jack Lew on his selection as the new White House Chief of Staff. He brings to the role a wealth of experience in government, law, and community service. His work as Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Deputy Secretary of State have helped the President achieve a number of important domestic and foreign policy successes. As the Congress and White House work together this year on reaching a comprehensive solution to our deficit problem, appointing as Chief of Staff someone as knowledgeable and involved in budget issues as Jack Lew reflects the President’s commitment to fiscal responsibility. I look forward to working with him as we move forward.

This morning’s announcement that our economy added 200,000 jobs in December, bringing our unemployment rate down to 8.5%, is a sign of progress and provides further evidence that our economy is recovering. However, while we have now experienced twenty-two straight months of private sector job growth, too many Americans remain out of work.

This Administration has pursued a strong national security policy that has achieved significant victories in eliminating Al-Qaeda leaders and decimating the group’s operational capabilities. It [has] engaged in successful cooperation and coordination with our NATO allies in Libya without losing a single American life and brought our troops back from Iraq with dignity. Today’s announcement follows a strategic review of defense policy and aims to strengthen our Armed Forces’ ability to address the challenges of a changing global security environment. In line with this new strategy, the defense budget will adapt to ensure that our military has all the resources it needs to support the changing mission, while at the same time contributing to comprehensive deficit reduction. Our deficits themselves represent a national security threat that must be addressed, further reason why it is important to achieve a big and balanced solution this year. This new strategy recognizes that our military continues to be the greatest in the world and a source of pride for all Americans.

One year ago today, Republicans took control of the House of Representatives and promised to focus on job creation. But one year later, we’ve witnessed the least productive session of Congress in recent years. Republicans still do not have a comprehensive jobs plan and have not taken meaningful action to reduce the deficit in a big, balanced way. Instead of debating and voting on jobs bills like House Democrats’ Make It In America plan, the House Republican leadership walked away from the American people and focused on an ideological and partisan agenda that had nothing to do with getting Americans back to work. They brought us to the brink of shutdown and default. They held hostage a tax cut for middle class families and unemployment insurance benefits for Americans who lost jobs through no fault of their own. And they have, through their actions, increased the uncertainty faced by working families trying to plan for the future and by businesses waiting to expand and hire.

I am pleased President Obama appointed the highly qualified Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Mr. Cordray brings to the position a strong record and a commitment to protecting American consumers, homeowners, investors and small businesses. For months, Senate Republicans have distorted the confirmation process and made it clear that they will block Mr. Cordray or any other nominee—regardless of qualifications—to lead this new consumer protection bureau. The American people deserve better, and we can no longer wait to put a referee back on the field to protect American consumers from the excesses and abuses that led to the financial crisis.